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Pashmina dates back to ancient civilization.
Every summer the Himalayan farmers climb the
mountains to comb the fine woolen undercoat from the underbelly of,
Himalayan mountain goat Chyangras, the Capra Hircus goat which is the source
of Pashmina, their underbellies are covered with two different types of
wool: the fine, soft cashmere and a coarser outer layer. The wool is
gathered by local women, who comb it thoroughly to separate the thicker,
less luxuriant wool, Pashmina.
The Chyangras goat live at elevations of 14,500 feet where temperatures
rarely go above minus 20 degrees in winter. To survive the freezing
environment at 14,000 feet altitude, it grows a unique, incredibly soft
undercoat called pashm, six times finer than human hair. Because it is so
fine it cannot be spun by machines, so the
wool is hand –woven into cashmere products, shawls, scarves, wraps, throws,
stoles, etc. Before Pashmina is made into shawls, scarves, wraps etc. there
is quite a process in cleaning the undercoat.
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Pashmina is the elite of all wools, the
authentic cashmere, it originated in Kashmir hundreds of years ago. The art
of making Pashmina is believed to be as old as 3000 years B.C.
Only the rich and elite
could afford the luxurious cashmere Pashmina cashmere. Pashmina was used by Caesar,
and Marie Antoinette, the Emperor Napoleon was so impressed with the
cashmere Pashmina shawl that he gave it to Empress Josephine. At one time
only royalty, emperors, kings, rulers had the sole rights to purchasing
cashmere Pashmina. The cashmere Pashmina was referred to as the royal
fiber.
Cashmere
Pashmina is
still costly, and some sweaters made from Pashmina cost more than $800.00
today, but I think that everyone should treat themselves to at least one
shawl, scarf, throw, sweater, so they too can enjoy the luxurious feel of
real cashmere
Pashmina.
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